When I left California many years ago to find a new home I was struck by the beauty and intense green of Tennessee. Since then, my husband and I make a point to take day trips in the mid-state region. We like to hike and discover other small towns, but we really love waterfalls. Surprisingly, there are so many that are only a short drive away.

We have our favorites like Stillhouse Falls, Fall Hollow Falls and Jackson Falls. However, we recently made the trip to Machine Falls in Tullahoma. It’s a challenging hike, but well worth it to see these spectacular cascading falls. In fact, we liked it so much we had to go back again.

There’s no doubt about it. When we want to take a break from our busy lives, there’s nothing like a walk in the woods and witnessing the humbling majesty of a waterfall, and nowhere quite as pretty as Tennessee.